Born in Paris, Patrick Ali Pahlavi is the son of Prince Ali Reza Pahlavi and his wife Christiane Cholewski, a Frenchwoman, although no record of his parents" 20 November 1946 wedding in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, France, is on official record there. His father chose for him an Irish name popular in France, "Patrick", and his mother chose for him an Arabic name, "Ali", which made "Patrick Ali" his full given name.
On his birth he was baptized. His father was the heir presumptive to his sonless brother"s throne and following his death in a plane crash in 1954, Patrick Pahlavi succeeded him as heir presumptive. Because of the dispute, he was placed in "protective custody" with policemen guarding his suite at the Hotel Excelsior in Italy until his mother gave into the Shah"s demands and he was enrolled at the school.
In March, Pahlavi"s mother took him from his school without the Iranian embassy or the Swiss authorities knowing.
He also studied the Quran for some twelve years. During the 1970s his public criticism of his uncle"s regime culminated in his arrest and imprisonment in the Evin prison and, after his release, a period during which he was placed under house arrest.
Following the Iranian revolution and overthrow of the Shah in early 1979, Pahlavi remained in Iran. He served further sentences in the Evin prison before leaving for exile three days before he was due to go on trial that would have sentenced him to death.
In exile he teaches spirituality.
Pahlavi was married in 1972 to Sonja Lauman. Together they have three sons:
Davoud Pahlavi (born 7 December 1971)
Hoda Pahlavi (born 14 November 1972)
Mohammad Younes Pahlavi (born 17 May 1977).
